When The Bellfuries came on the Rockabilly scene in or around 1998 they were an absolute breath of fresh air. The Country end of the spectrum was greatly overpowering the R&B, and it started to hurt my Soul. Western Swing is allright but that Hollywood Cowboy act doesn't move me. I heard of this band from someone who knew a butch from a dog, and he told me I would like them if I could find the tune Mr.Locomotive. I did, and he was right. Ann Arbour DJ Del Villareal got a burned CD in my hand with that tune on it, and I did the twist in my living room the very first time I heard it.
I saw the band live in Louisville very shortly after that, it was the first Rockabilly gig I was really keen on going to in awhile. The audience looked the part, but the scene was strictly that-a scene. There was a small handful of people who bothered to pay attention to the band, the rest preened and talked amongst themselves and yelled at each other across the room like the show on the stage was there as background sound in the movie about their lives no one was shooting.
Now, this sometimes happens. But The Bellfuries felt like a step forward, like they were ahead of a curve that would never catch up, and like just a few similar bands before them, they would face disregard that didn't even bother to be derisive. I love the Rockabilly Scene, it's the only mass of people I've ever felt at one with, but the disdain sometime shown towards artists more "avant garde" than performing re enactments of obscure old film footage has been occasionally frustrating. The first night I saw The Bellfuries was one of those nights.
The next time I saw The Bellfuries, however, it was in a room full of people wigging the hell out, and it was at the Oneida Casino festival of 2001, the greatest Rockabilly Event that ever happened if you don't count Alan Freed's tours. So- there you go.
But I am part of the problem. I never bought their album, although I heard it plenty. Among my friends it became an instant classic for parties and driving over any stretch of distance and it was spoken of very reverently.
Well, now it's coming back. Hopefully. If they can raise enough to pay for a run, they'll do it. Follow this link to find out more, and perhaps throw some bread at the cause. I was lucky enough to make the first donation- $25.25.
I don't want it back. Let's make this happen.
